| Recently, the researches of learning English as a second language in China are focusing on answering a series of questions:Is it necessary to learn English in preschool age? What are the individual differences of young English learners? Is there a positive correlation between preschool English learning and elementary English test scores? Is there a positive correlation between preschool English learning and elementary Chinese test scores?To answer these questions, in this study I sampled 6 elementary school in Shanghai city. I collected 945 students’ final test scores of English and Chinese, and 945 parent questionnaires. Three research questions are asked:First, what are the individual differences between young children’s early English learning experiences, do these differences correlate with elementary English test scores? Second, do children who had learned English in preschool have higher English test scores in elementary school? Third, do children who had learned English in preschool have higher Chinese test score in elementary school?To analyze the individual differences between young children’s early English learning, I use both qualitative and quantitative methods. I find that in the early English learning contents, story telling, English game and English drama have higher correlation with elementary English test scores. Conversational practice, English songs, English TV show and read aloud also have positive but lower correlation with elementary English test scores. Interestingly, grammar study has no correlation with elementary English score. Also, I find children who had English class everyday and/or have native speaking teachers are not correlate with higher scores. Children who had 1-4 class a week with Chinese speaking teachers correlate with higher English test scores. In family environment, parents who have higher income, education and English level tend to support more preschool English learning for children. Parents’ education background and English level highly correlate with children’s elementary English test scores. However, parents who teach children English, travel oversea with children or talk to children in English have no correlation with children’s English scores.The second research question is does preschool English learning experiences have an impact on children’s elementary English test scores in first and third grade? According to the result of logit regression, for children in the first grade of elementary school, students who had learned English in preschool or kindergarten are correlated with a 2.02 higher odds ratio to have A score than children who had no early English learning experiences. Similarly, for children in the third grade of elementary school, students who had learned English in preschool or kindergarten are correlated with a 2.12 higher odds ratio to have A score than children who had no early English learning experiences. For first graders who had learned English outside preschool or kindergarten, are correlated with a 1.86 higher odds ratio to have A score than children who had no early English learning experiences. Also, For third graders who had learned English outside preschool or kindergarten, are correlated with a 2.64 higher odds ratio to have A score than children who had no early English learning experiences. All these results are statistically significant. The results show that early English learning experiences have a positive impact on first and third grader’s English test score.Research three is focusing on the third research question:do early English learning experiences affect students’ Chinese learning? According to the result of logit regression, I find that early English learning experiences, no matter in kindergarten/preschool or outside preschool, have no negative correlation with students’ first and third grade Chinese test scores. In most situations, there are positive correlation between early English learning and elementary Chinese test scores. For children in the first grade, students who had learned English in preschool or kindergarten are correlated with a 1.49 higher odds ratio to have A score than children who had no early English learning experiences, yet it is not significant. Children in the third grade of elementary school who had learned English in preschool or kindergarten are correlated with a significantly 1.50 higher odds ratio to have A score than children who had no early English learning experiences. For first graders who had learned English outside preschool or kindergarten, are correlated with a significantly 1.7 higher odds ratio to have A score than children who had no early English learning experiences. Also, For third graders who had learned English outside preschool or kindergarten, are correlated with a significantly 1.67 higher odds ratio to have A score than children who had no early English learning experiences.In Shanghai, this is the first research that has big sample size and adopts sophisticated quantitative models to analyze the relationships between Chinese students’ early English learning experiences and elementary English and Chinese test scores. The results of this study support the idea that early English learning is positive for student’s later English learning and even Chinese learning. The results may provide empirical evidences for language education policy making and practice. |
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